


The Queen of Heavens

by EmberTiger98



Category: Disney - All Media Types, Dumbo (2019)
Genre: Childhood Memories, Drama, F/M, Family, Family Drama, First Love, Flashbacks, Hurt/Comfort, Romance, Teasing
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-02-07
Updated: 2020-12-08
Packaged: 2021-02-27 21:21:37
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 4
Words: 17,175
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/22592443
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/EmberTiger98/pseuds/EmberTiger98
Summary: When Colette starts to remembering her past and Holt want's to know about it as well, the french aerialist opens her heart to him and tells her childhood to the cowboy not predicting that this will drawn them closer.
Relationships: Colette Marchant/Original Character(s), Colette Marchant/V. A. Vandevere, Holt Farrier/Colette Marchant
Comments: 5
Kudos: 2





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> Here it is my first Colt fanfic in AO3, I really hope you like it and sorry if there are any errors. Enjoy!

_**California, 1920** _

  
The Medici Family Circus troupe already finished their last morning show on California, everyone started packing up their things, organizing their props and costumes. The sun was still shining strongly with a big heat, even though it was barely spring, in California always the heat is either strong or deadly, but fortunately our circus troupe is already used to such temperatures.

  
But not for Colette, as soon as she finished her act alongside with Holt she rushed to the backside of her tent and poured herself water to her face she got from a bucket she had. She grabbed a towel and started to clean her neck and the remaining makeup from her eyelids, sighing she went to the inside of her new tent. It is way more smaller that the room she had at Dreamland, but it was something.

  
It is not surprising at all that the french woman was not used to living in a travelling circus yet, but everyday that passes she’s trying her best to make the circus her home. She hates to admit it but sometimes she misses the conforts and luxuries from Dreamland, however, the Medici Circus gave her something even more valuable than a big bed, jewelry or fine dresses, they gave her a family, people that cares for her for what she is in or out of the show. Specially the Farriers, who welcomed her to their family since the beggining in New York.

  
The thought alone made Colette smile while she was accommodating her accesories of her last show and clothes. The memory when she met Milly and Joe on Dumbo’s tent for the first time and watching their smiles, hearing their laughs when they were training and playing with him at the Dreamland training tent melted her heart in one second.

  
Those kids brought her so much joy to her life, everytime she spends time with them, they reminded her when she was a child: bold, daring and determinated.

  
And then there was Holt. _Oh mon dieu_ , she thought. At first, she had to admit it, since the moment she layed eyes on the rider she just practically ignored him, hell, she barely noticed him. Colette thought of him as a simple and dumb peasant, a very stoic person for her taste. However, when they started to train together with Dumbo, their bond began to grow and bloom, it wasn’t perfect though, everytime they had a disagreement they start to compete and teasing eachother in any conversation topic.

  
Nevertheless, she couldn’t stop thinking about the rider no matter how hard she tried: his good heart, his surprising gentleman-like personality, his good sense of humor, his rustic mannerisms, his handsome face, which she ignored at first, (oh how she reggreted doing that) and in his face, his brightfull smile and… _his eyes_ , those warm, honest and… **intense** eyes of his. Every time he glanced directly at her, she felt that she could just fall right there where she was, but he’ll catch her and save her, just like on Dumbo’s night debut at the Colloseum. _Will his lips on mine be as intense as his eyes?_

  
Colette shook her head at such thought and blushed deeply with her hand on her cheek, but still, it made her smile. “What are you thinking, Colette?,” laughing quietly to herself, “You’re talking like a silly teenager, like… _comme si j'étais amoureux…_ ” When was the last time she was in love? Like _truly_ in love?.

  
Her blushing faded thinking about that subject while her eyes widened espontaneously recalling what she had on her belongings. She walked towards her stuff, some personal and some she could save from Dreamland, searching what she was looking for. Untill Colette picked up a small wooden box, which she hasn’t opened for years, only for special occasions. But now, feeling what she was feeling at the moment… what she was searching for inside that box… called for an special occasion.

  
Colette held the box firmly and sat at the edge of her bed placing the object on her lap with her fingers gingerly touching the top, hesitating to open it for a second.

Even so, Colette slowly unlocked the box and looked at its content: old photographs of her and her family when she was a child, an old ribbon that her little sister gave her, a handmade brooch made by her mother, a postcard from her father when he went to London. And below all that stuff was a necklace she carefully grabbed by the chain.

  
Seeing all these memories on her hands filled her heart with an incredible nostalgia, and the necklace was one of those memories she will never forget. She had the old locket hanging from her hand staring at it like it was hipnotizing the aerialist. That necklace that had a golden painted chain and a silver roundel with a form of a square, had a value which was not expensive at all, its sentimental value however, has no price.

  
Colette put the wooden box aside grabbing her belonging with both hands, smiling at the memories that came with it, little did she knew that somone was heading to her tent, she was so concentrated that she didn’t heard the steps from whoever was coming.

  
“Tired so soon, princess?” Holt beamed with his head popping in on the entrance of the tent.

  
Colette jolted in surprise and almost gasped, she turned around with her necklace tightly held by her hands. She sighed in relief and rised herself from the bed.

  
“Holt _mon dieu_ , do not startle me like that! You cannot just enter to my room like this. Don’t you knock, _idiot?”_ Colette said crossing her arms in indignation, scowling.

  
Holt gave her a puzzled look while he was entering at her tent rising one of his bushy eyebrows, “Uhmm, I don’t know if you remember or you do not see clearly princess, but this is a carp… and carps have no doors to knock into.” The cowboy pointed out the entrance behind him with his thump, snickering lightly at the french woman.

  
“This is not a laughing matter Holt,” giving him a sarcastic grin, her fists on her waist, “you can’t just enter to my tent out of nowhere. What if I was undressed!?” she exclaimed.

  
The Kentucky rider opened his eyes at such mental image, a tiny blush came from his cheeks, “Well… it would’ve been a _specatcle_ indeed” he laughed awkwardly to himself, not realizing that Colette heard him clearly. The aerialist opened her mouth, the commentary felt that it came from a child, a stupid child, she felt insulted no doubt. Without hesitation, Colette smacked Holt’s forehead with her right palm.

  
“Ouch!” Holt was completely caught out of guard by the sudden hit on his head and backed up because of it.

  
“How dare you, I’m talking seriously!!!” The trapeze artist huffed.

  
“Ok, ok I’m sorry Colette, jeez,” Holt replied caressing his forehead, “It was just a joke, woman. Also, I thought that my shadow reflected through the fabric would let you know that someone would be approaching your tent. What, you didn’t see me?”.

  
“ _Non_ …” Colette answered a bit embarassed, “… I think I wasn’t…” she turned to see the wooden box on her bed, “…paying atention, apparently." the necklace was dangling on her left hand, which Holt soon asked.

  
"Hey, what’s that?” he pointed out the object with his index finger.

  
Colette turned back to Holt, “Oh! Uhm, this? Is just a medallion who someone gave me… years ago.” she said looking at it fondly.

  
“Who?” Holt asked curious glancing at her face.

  
Colette looked at him into his eyes, “Philippe.” she responded sitting back on her bed.

  
“Who is Philippe?” Holt asked, “Is your brother? A cousin? A… _friend_?.”

  
Colette laughed a bit at his weird interrogatory while grabbing her box again, “You can say that _cherie_. _Oui_ , he was a friend and… something else…” Colette teased.

  
The cowboy waited for her to say to him what was that “ _something_ _else_ ” about this Philippe guy. That man should’ve been very important for Colette if she’s still keeping something from him. Not that he cared… didn’t he?.

  
“Something else?” Holt said, “Something else what?” It’d become evident on his tone he really wanted to know everything about this Philippe.

  
The aerialist met his eyes once again, those eyes that always melt her heart, and spoke with all the confidence in the world, “… we used to date too”.

  
Holt couldn’t help but feel a twinge of jealousy on his chest at such statement. This shouldn’t affect him, after all she is talking about an old fling she had on her youth, in the past. But she is _still_ thinking on him? A part from Holt’s heart didn’t want to believe it, because what he was building with Colette since the day he met her had just only grow and grow, even though there were disagreements between the two, and there where many, they always went forward, never backward. Colette… she is everything that Holt never expected from her: she is frivolous, spoiled and says that she’s better than him in almost anything on the first days he had met her. But at the same time she’s kind, with a warm heart, brave, devoted and… _gorgeous_ , oh God what a gorgeous woman. Her beautiful blue eyes which puts him into trance and those perfect shaped lips… they look so soft, appropiate for kissing, no doubt and her … _body_ …

  
Holt snapped out of his mind and cleared his throat, he spoke again. “Oh… and you are… still thinking about him, I guess?”.

  
She looked down sighing. It was so obvious his jealousy that delighted her a little, she went on “Sometimes, we did had a good friendship since we were 4,so he knew me very well and I knew him very well. One thing went to another and we had a romantic relationship for a couple of years”.

“Huh…” Holt replied with his right hand on his waist, “So, what happened after that?”.

Colette looked up on Holt “ _Oh cherie_ ” she laughed a bit, “A lot of things happened after and before Philippe”.

“That’s why you’re lookin’ those things? There are from your home in France, right?” Holt asked and knelt to see better the stuf inside Colette’s box.

“ _Oui_. Things from my childhood” The aerialist stared at the cowboy.

Holt looked at her eyes, curious, “You never talked about your childhood or your life in france”. Holt suddenly thought of an idea, he wasn’t sure if Colette would like it but he wanted to try, “If you want… you… can _tell_ me something, anything about… your past, again if… you want to”. He gave her a tender smile.

She blushed, for both embarassment and sweetness, she trusted Holt with all her being but Colette never shared such intimate stuf with him in, not yet. Still, Holt is someone who will listen to you and understand what are you feeling, he has a huge empathy for the ones who love. After all she’s practically part of his family now, and she doesn’t want any secrets between them.

“ _Trés_ _bien_ , but I’ll have to warn you that this is a pretty long and possibly boring story Holt” Colette made a gesture with her hand lightly.

“I like long stories, and please don’t say that it will be boring, Colette”. Holt sat down on the floor in front of her, hugging his knees. “I _know_ you woman, you could never be boring, _never_ to me. You’re fantastic”. He winked an eye at her, giving the french lady one of his most sincere smiles, soon he blushed deep red for what he said.

Colette blushed too at such comments and cleared her throat before the color of her cheeks start to show up more.

“I’m sorry, please uhmmm… start telling your story jeje…” Holt akwardly spoke, even though he’s a little embarassed for what he just said, he ment it, every word.

The french woman held her necklace on her hands taking a deep breath and continue.

“I was nine years old, I was living in Orléans with my family…” 


	2. Chapter 2

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> This was long, oh boy...

_**1891 Gien, Órleans, France** _

  
“Come on, Marie. _Allons!”_ Colette shouted while she was running, trying to reach the rooftop.

  
“I’m coming Colette, I’m not as fast as you” Marie responded following her older sister.

  
Colette was just 9 but she wasn’t afraid of anything, after all, this is not the first time she climbed to the roof, without her parents knowing and with no equipment to keep her safe in case of an accident such as a mattres or a rope. She didn’t care about the risks, on the contrary, she loved them.

  
When the girls finally reached the rooftop by climbing on an old ladder their father had, Colette directly went to the edge of the ceiling, at the back side of the house, that had a half a meter of height and fifteen centimeters wide; perfect for walking on it like a tight rope. The house, though no very big, was high enough for somone like Colette or Marie fall to their deaths if they were of the edge of the roof.

  
Marie looked concentrated on her sister whilst Colette was climbing at the edge, she placed her right feet in front of her left one and her arms wide open to mantain her balance. And then, she started to walk forward.

  
“Ladies and gentleman! You’re gonna to see the best aerialist in France, if not, in the whole world, crossing the _Tightrope of Death!_ Then, she’ll do the most _spectaculaire_ acrobatic movement on her trapeze!” Colette proudly shouted, she pointed out with her finger a tree branch on the other side of the house making believe it was a trapeze swing.

  
“You can do it _sœur_!” Marie cheered.

  
Colette smiled back at her 6 year old partner in crime and continued her way through the brink.

The older Marchant girl kept her arms open and sight fixed and concentrated, she didn’t lost her balance at any moment. However, when she barely got to the middle a big and despered yell cut her out.

  
“Colette! _Par l'amour de Dieu!_ What are you doing? Get back down here!!!” Madame Marchant cryed, calling her children’s attention. The black haired girl turned and knelt a bit to see her mother from above.

  
“I can’t momma, I’m about to do the biggest feat you can ever imagine” Colette replyed with a grin on her face.

  
“Yes momma, the biggest feat you can ever imagine” Marie gladly copied her sister rising her hands.

  
“I don’t care Colette, _mon amour,_ you can hurt yourself. One false step and it will be fatal for you mon petit. The same goes for you Marie, please get down now”.

  
“But we came here all the time and nothing happened” Marie admited. Their mother gasped but soon sighed closing her eyes and denied with her head.

  
“Marie, _tais-toi!!!”_ Colette yelled at her sister.

  
“I’m sorry…” Marie shrugged.

  
“Just let me finish _maman_ , if you want you can watch me, you’ll see how good I’m getting on this”. So Colette turned again to continue but her mom cut her off again by calling another person.

  
“Pierre! Pierre you make this disobedient _fille_ get down of there!” the woman called her husband. The Marchant sisters froze and looked to eachother, knowing who was coming.

  
From the inside of the house came out a man with curly brown hair, a short beard of the same color and black eyes. _“Qu'est-il arrivé, mon amour?_ Something’s wrong Gaelle?” he asked.

  
Gaelle with fists on her waist, she pointed out with her blue eyes where their daughters where, “You try to convince them, they listen more to you” Gaelle begged. Pierre looked up and couln’t help but giggle a bit.

  
“Oh _mon dieu petits,_ what are you doing?” he continued to giggle, it wasn’t a surprise for his wife that he shared the same childish spirit with the girls, but still he needed to put order.

  
“Uuhhmm…’The biggest feat you can ever imagine’…?” Colette answered with a question nervous. 

  
“I see, you’re a professional aerialist my daughter, but it wasn’t that professionals should do their stunts with nets?” Pierre said trying to make her child understand.

  
She crossed her arms and bit her lip, “Aerialists should practice too…” she responded to her dad.

  
“ _Oui_ _papa_ , aerialists should practice too,” Marie copied her big sister again, “We’re having so much fun”.

  
Knowing what will do the trick, Pierre raised his hand and showed three fingers. “At the count of three, you’ll get down from the ceiling right now, both of you” he ordered.

  
“This is not fair papa” Colette complained. “Oui, not fair papa” the brunette little sister mimicked her sister once more. Both stayed where they stood, resisting their father’s attempt.

 _“Un…deux…”_ Pierre started to count untill there was just one finger left, twiching, “…two and a half…” he warned, his eyebrow rised.

  
“Uhh! Fine! Will be there in a second” Colette grumbled stomping her foot into the roof, “Come on, Marie”. Marie wanted to protest but soon she realized she had no option so she followed her sister to go down. But while Marie went down on her father’s ladder, Colette went down by the tree she planed to do her act. It wasn’t a problem since she was wearing a onesie her mother made for her, perfect for this kind of things, giving her more flexibility.

  
Pierre glanced over his wife and said, “Always works” he braged with a smirk. She decided to ignore him yet it made her laugh a bit.

  
When both girls where on the ground, they reached their parents, and Gaelle knelt in front of Colette resting both hands on her daughter’s shoulders. _“Mon fille_ , promise me you’ll never do that again, I mean it, I don’t want anything happen to you” she implored.

  
“But _maman_ , nothing happened. I do this almost everyday, I train a lot and nothing happens. What? You don’t believe in me?” she protested.

  
“Of course I believe in you, _mon amour_ is just…” Gaelle tried to be as clear as she could, then glanced over Marie, “…alright, maybe _you_ won’t get hurt, because as you said you train and train all the time in your trapeze school. But what about Marie? What if _she_ gets hurt? Remember this my child: she looks up to you and copies everything that you do. What if she is the one who falls after climbing on the ceiling? What would we do then?”

  
Colette rapidly looked over Marie and though for a second. Her mother was right. Sometimes Colette forgets that her little sister always follows her everywhere she goes and tries to repeat everything does. Marie has never done athletics and she’s not as fast or daring as her big _sœur_. The last thing Colette wants is that someone gets injured because of her… or dead, especially her younger sister.

  
“I never thought of that…” Colette responded looking down, regretful. “… _désolé_ momma…” she pouted. After her mother caressed her girl’s cheek accepting her apology, she soon asked other thing, “Mom…. would you help me with my hair again… and makeing it into a bun like you do…please?” her blue puppy eyes met her mom’s, sticking her bottom lip out.

  
Gaelle sighed and smiled, grabbing from her pocket an old ribbon “Sure, _mon peteit”_. Madame Marchant made her older daughter turn around and started to pick up her hair. Colette’s mane was pretty long at the time and her love for acrobatics made it impossible for the hair buns her mother made being stable.

  
 _“Trés bien_ , now let’s get going _mon amours_ , we have to get to the laundry place as soon as possible” Gaelle clapped twice and asked the girls to help her with her stuff. Almost every day, the Marchant girls accompanied their mother to the laundry because their father go to work as a gardener and they couldn’t leave their daughters alone at home.

  
“Ah! Look dear, the charriet is here, time to go” Pierre pointed the charriet pulled by just one horse ,which was slowly parking in front of their house. “Here, let me help you” he, Marie and Colette put placed Gaelle’s things on the wooden wagon. “Well _mon petits_ I see you later, and please obey your mother, don’t get into any mischief, ok?” Pierre said to his children.

  
Both sisters nodded their heads with big grins on their lips. But before they could leave, Pierre called for his family, “Hey! And my kisses? _Papa_ , needs love from the most beautiful women in the world” he leaned on one knee and touched his cheek with his index finger, giving a playful smile.

  
Colette and Marie rushed to their father and each girl gave their father lots of kisses in both cheeks. He quikly grabbed them both and spun them around giggling. After that, he gently let go of the girls and opened his arms in front of his wife, “It also inculdes you, _ma reine_ ” he smoothly said.

  
Gaelle went to his husband snikering, to give him a kiss on the lips, but as soon as she was on Pierre's embrace, he hugged her more tightly, spun her, tilts her from behind and gave her a passionate kiss on her mouth. The entire scene made the little Marchants say _‘eww’._

  
“You have to do that in front of the children, Pierre? You’re impossible, _ma chérie_ ” Gaelle accused him, but she had to admit it, she _loved_ that kiss. The Marchant women get on the cart and waved at Pierre as soon as their transport started to move.

  
 _“Au revoir papa!”_ Marie shouted, waving at her dad.

  
 _“Au revoir mon amours!”_ Pierre shouted back _“Je les aime beaucoup!”_

  
The cart went downtown where more people started to show up, bakers and children walking and running around. Suddenly Colette heard a familiar voice which called her from behind the moving charriot. 

  
“Colette, Colette! I’m here, turn around!” the voice was young and agitated.

  
So Colette spuned around and saw who was following them: a boy with curly black hair, dirt on his cheeks, a missing tooth in front of his mouth and an old cap on his head. Colette inmediately reccognised the boy and yelled back at him.

  
“Philippe! What are doing following us?” she asked and giggled a bit because of her friend’s willingness to chase her down the street.

  
Philippe was running as fast as he could so his voice could be more clear fo Colette to hear. “I just wanted to tell you…what if we met on the woods… and play there instead?” he asked, runnig out of breath.

  
“Ok, we met there after mom finish working, _trés bien?”_ she affirmed winking an eye at her friend, then she yelled at him “Philippe, don’t run too fast, the road has holes! You can trip and fall!” she warned him.

  
 _“Fall?_ Me? I never fall Coco, I’m not that stupid—” just like that, Philippe stepped on a hole and fell smashing his face on the dirty ground. 

Gaelle and Colette covered their mouths, worried that Philippe would’ve been hurt, but they couldn’t be sure since the cart continued its path, leaving the fallen boy behind, which made Colette scream: “Philippe!!! Are you alright, _mon amie!!?”_

  
Suddenly, Philippe stood rapidly from the ground by hearing his friend’s worried tone, shaking his head and his smile never leaving his face, he waved from afar “Im ok Coco!!! See you later!!”.

  
The three Marchant women laughed in relief and waved back at Philippe. Then Marie shaked her sister’s arm “Can I go play with you and Philippe too when we get home?” the tiny brunette girl asked.

  
“I’m sorry Marie, but this is an adventure just for him and me in the forest. Aerialists only” Colette stated.

  
“ _Oui_ , right. You want to go alone with him because he’s your boyfriend!” Marie teased.

  
Colette blushed deep red “He’s _not_ my boyfriend, Marie!! We’re just friends. How many times do I have to tell you!?” the young aerialist protested.

  
“But you love him, _Coco_. Hahaha” Marie teased again laughing at her sister.

  
Gaelle sighed a mirth denying with her head. _Oh my filles…they are complete characters…_

  
Colette decided to bit her lip and stop talking knowing that would not help her to make Marie to shut up, the only thing she could do was watching the houses while they were passing by, ignoring her sister’s mocks.  


\-----------------------------------------------

  
Meanwhile in the laundry: the steam and wet clothes came and went. Every women tried to be as organized as possible, but how can be organized if Colette and Marie went there everyday, it was impossible to keep those _filles_ calm, always running around, jumping on the recently washed white sheets.

  
The washers once in a while gave Gaelle accusing glares as a sign of their discomfort around her daughters. But what else could Gaelle do? She couldn’t leave her children alone at their house, let alone and wait for their parents for hours.

  
“You will not catch me, Marie!” Colette shouted.

  
“You think I can’t, look at me!” Marie followed.

  
In that moment Gaelle stopped what she was doing and clapped her hands so her daughters can hear her. “Alright, alright, come here _mon amours,_ let’s do this. Why don’t you just play outside, hmm? But stay around the block please, I don’t want you far”. she ordered.

  
Soon after that, one of Gaelle’s friends on the laundry said behind her back “Do you really want them outside, they can provoke a chaos to the poor people passing by, they are completely restless” she commented dryly. Gaelle glared at her friend and added “Would you prefer them to provoke a chaos _here_ , inside work?” rising an eyebrow. 

  
Suddenly Gaelle’s friend mouth dropped opened and talked directly to the girls “Please have fun outside, _petits!”_ disimulating a smile.

  
“Go _amours,_ stay on this block and do not cross the street. Ah, and Colette, watch over Marie in any second, remeber what I’ve told you at home”.

  
Both girls nodded and went outside, chasing eachother through the sidewalk and passing by some bushes, which ones Colette snatched two thin branches from them. One she threw it to Marie and the other was on her hand, then she started to use the branch as a sward and said: _“En garde!”._

  
“We cannot play with swards Colette” Marie responded “This is a _boy’s_ game”.

  
“Says who?” Colette affirmed pointing out the branch to the sky. “Joan de Arc was a woman, and she used swards too. She was a warrior. Come on, _en garde!”_ she pointed out her sister with her imaginary sward. Marie sighed and like always, followed her sister. The two started the sward fight around the block trying so hard not to poke someone with their branches by accident. The game ended when Colette poked Marie and screamed _“Touché!,_ now catch me” she ran away.

  
“Wait Colette!?” this time Marie started her run slower than she expected and with all her strength began to run. 

  
The 6 year old girl began to loose sight of Colette and chose to stop and breathe, she leaned her hands on her knees, trying to catch her breath. All of a sudden, Marie realized that she stopped in front of a boutique of dresses and decided to stay there and look the fine clothes that where inside.

  
Colette kept running untill she reached one of the oldest houses of the street. “Colette Marchant wins once again! You better try harder, sister, you—”

  
She turned around and realized Marie was no longer behind her. “Marie? Marie!? Marie, where are you?” she called a little worried “ _Sœur_ this is not funny, you’re supposed to be beside me! Marie!!!” 

  
With no more option, Colette went back with the hope of finding Marie. _‘Watch over your sister, Colette, she looks up to you’_ Colette imitated mockingly what her mother has told her before, _‘Oui, and who looks after me if something happens to **me**? Uhhh! I’m a big **sœur** , not a babysitter…’_

  
Some minutes later, after encircle the entire block, she finally found her, she was standing concentrated looking whatever it was inside the store she was in front of. Colette sighed in relief and went to her sister.

  
“Marie!” the youngest Marchant turned and saw her big sister approaching her with a frown on her face, “You’re are supposed to be beside me, _maman_ told me to watch over you!”

  
“ _Désolé_ , sister. You were running so fast that I lost you. So I stayed here. Look at this beautiful dresses!” Marie beamed pointing out with her finger what was on the other side of the glass. “Aren’t they _beaux_!”.

  
“ _Oui_ … they are…” Colette stepped closer to the window of the boutique, so as her sister, and both kids stuck their palms and noses on the glass to see better the entire set of clothing. It was beautiful indeed, everything that was in there: the jewelry, the shoes, the hats and of course, the dresses. 

  
All of the sudden, beyond the store, they saw a little blonde girl with her mother trying to help her out put on a precious white dress. The girl was around Colette’s age, it was obvious that the blonde girl and her mother were rich, after all, this boutique was meant for high society people only.

  
“She looks beautiful, doesn’t she _sœur_?” Marie asked flatly.

  
“Yes, yes she does…” _We will never look like that..._ Colette thought to herself with disappointment. She wanted so badly to one day dress like that and feel pretty enough so people see her, but as a girl and not like… _vagabonde_. But her thoughts were cutten off when an unpleasant voice yelled at them.

  
“Hey! Get your dirty noses out of my window, _des rats!!!"_

  
Colette and Marie starteled from where they stood and looked up to the owner of the store, twiching his thin moustache and enraged glare.

  
Colette, having heard the insult, interjected, “We are not rats! We were just—” but she was interrupted again.

  
“ _Oui_ , of course you are rats! You were born rats and rats you’ll be for the rest of your life, I mean just look at you, and careful with your tone with me!!! Now get the hell out of my boutique or I’ll call the police! _Rats démons!”_ he barked at the two little girls.

  
Marie was the one who was more scared and her eyes started to felt watery, Colette wanted to defend themselves but after seeing her little sister’s saddened expression decided to hug her and walk away.

  
“Go! Go away! You are shunning away my costumers, rats!” the owner yelled at them while they were leaving.

  
Both sisters waked away from the store hugging eachother. Colette didn’t want to cry even though she felt an uncomfortable burn in her eyes, she felt impotent and useless at the moment. Her sister, still on her embrace, was sobbing quietly brushing away her tears, Colette kissed the top of her head and said _“Ne pleure pas,_ I’m here, forget what he said” _We are not rats… aren’t we…?,_ she thought.

  
When they finally arrived to the laundry place, Gaelle greeted them a bit surpised by on how short their playtime was, “Colette, Marie you get so tired of playing…?” Suddenly her face fell when she saw the tears on Marie. “Marie! What happened to you, are you hurt? And you Colette what happened?” Gaelle asked woried.

  
Colette took a deep breath and spoke “Nothing _maman_ , we are fine… the thing… the thing is…” suddenly Marie cried cutting her off.

  
“That man called us rats!!!” her tears runned like waterfall on the brunette’s face.

  
“What!? Who? Who called you that?” Gaelle questioned concerned.

  
“In the boutique…the owner…he was very mean momma, he-he…” her voice craked and desperately hugged her mom, unable to saying anything else. Gaelle picked Marie up and embraced tightly.

  
“ _Shhh_ , it’s ok, it’s ok _ma fille”_ Gaelle comforted her child, kissing her cheek, waiting her whimpers to fade. Then she looked down to Colette who was trying to suppress her own tears.

  
“And you Colette?” she asked “are you ok?” with her right arm held Marie so with her left hand caressed Colette’s face.

  
Colette looked up at her mom and responded with her shiny blue eyes, “I’ll be ok _maman_ …I guess…” with that, the older Marchant sister, carefully, embraced her mother as well.

  
\------------------------------------------———————-

  
Two hours later, right after Gaelle finished her shift, the three Marchant Queens returned home, Pierre waiting for them inside. He happily greeted his family, but as soon as he saw his daughter’s expressions he asked them fully concerned, “Hey… what happened? Did you get into trouble so much that your _maman_ hit you in your back side” he wanted to add humor on the situation although this wasn’t a laughing matter at all.

  
“Nothing, _papa_ ,” Colette huffed “I want to be alone now, _excuse moi…”_ she left and went outside. Pierre and Gaelle looked to eachother with sadness for her child, untill Pierre took his wife’s hand and squeezed it and said: “I’ll go talk to her”. 

  
The Marchant man saw how her daughter managed her pain in the way she could, instead of telling how she felt with words she prefered a more subtle path. Let alone and cope with her pain in silence.

  
Colette grabbed the wooden old ladder and positionated in front of the house. She climbed to it untill she reached the roof, sat down and watched the view from where she was, thinking on everything that happened on that morning. The young aerialist was hugging her knees with eyes fixed on the horizon not wanting her tears invade her already damp face.

  
Suddenly she heard a crunchy noise; the ladder twiching, a sign which shows that someone was climbing it. And out of nowhere, Pierre’s head popped out with his huge dark eyes staring at his daughter.

  
“ _Excuse moi_ my queen, may I speak to you?” Pierre joked.

  
Colette rolled her eyes and gave him a small but sincere smile, “You may…”.

  
 _“Merci beaucoup“_ he gladly responded. Pierre finished his climb, stood up on the roof, went over Colette and sat beside her on her right side, he decided to copy his child’s posture and hug his knees as well. He wanted to start the conversation as calm as he possible.

  
“Mom told me what happened, you want to talk about it or you rather stay in silence?” Pierre looked to his child who was still looking at the sun with a dry frown. So, he continued. “Don’t listen to those insults, because what do they know about you, or your sister, or us? Do you really believe that are you are rat? I don’t think so and you don’t think so either, mon amour. That man said what he said because—”.

  
“He called us rats because we’re poor,” she muttered, interrupting her father “…and… he is right”.

  
Pierre rised an eyebrow and his mouth oppened in surprise. “ _Mon cherie,_ what are you saying?”

  
Colette buried her face on her knees even more, not wanting to look at the eyes of her dad. “We’re poor _papa_ , that’s why he insulted us” she sniffed.

  
Pierre wanted to understand his daughter desperately, he knew what Colette was feeling but …why is shy accepting what they’d said to her? Why now? Days ago if somone would’ve called her rat, she would’ve step on their foot or just ignoring them with her chin up, head held high. But if now, if now she really feels defeated by just one insult… maybe she felt like this before or… the _entire_ time? Pierre took a deep breath and proceeded.

  
“So… what are you trying to say is that I’m a rat too? And your mom? And your sister!? Tell me. You’re giving that despicable man the reason? Do you really think that your family are a bunch of rats”, he said with a bit of bitterness.

  
“No! That’s not what I’m trying to say!” Colette yelled turning her head to her father. “But for some reason that man thought us as… well… you know. How can you not see it _papa!”_. she stomped her hands on the ceiling.

  
“Calm down, _mon fille_ ,” he put his hand in front of her as a signal for her to stop, "See what exactly? Because we’re poor? As you said it before? I thought you never cared. I mean I know that sometimes you get upset because we cannot buy you and your sister those pretty dolls on the stores, I understand, but _mon amour_ , why thinking of you, of _us_ like this, your family which although the difficulties—” but Pierre was cut off again abruptaly.

  
“You’re selfish _papa_!!!!” Colette screamed with burning tears running throught her cheeks, tears of anger.

  
Stunned, Pierre wanted to stop her yelling, however if it made her feel better say what she was feeling by screams, he let her do it anyway, then he asked calmly wanting to understand his daughter’s pain, “I’m selfish? Why?”.

  
“Because all your life you’ve been a gardener and you never put effort on anything. You never bother to try to give me, mom or Marie a better life” Colette panted, “I’ve _always_ felt like a rat because… look at me!! You always say I’m a beautiful girl, but _look_ at _ **me!**_ I have dust on my clothes, my hair, my shoes! This is not what a beautiful girl should look like, _papa_ , maybe you don’t care, maybe you’re so happy being poor and misérable, but I’m not, _I care!!!_ You want us to learn to be happy being poor? Who wants that? People will not want to see me as a trapeze artist, because we’re living in this dust. Why don’t you try harder!? Why don’t you try to give us nice things to me and Marie!? Don’t you want to see us happy!!!?”. Colette finished with her last breath.

  
Pierre was completely appaled for everything he just listened, he couldn’t believe how his eldest daughter spoke to him, and what she said… broke his heart into million pieces. He couldn’t entirely blame her for her feelings, she’s just 9, but still he thought Colette was always comprehensible about their economic situation. He blamed himself for not seeing how much this affected her, but that doesn’t mean what his daughter stated was 100% correct.

  
“Honestly I don’t know what to say to you right now, because you’re shouting and talking too much…” Pierre’s voice broke a little, he was hurted. “Do you think I don’t work enough?” he gulped suppresing his tears, “I bust my ass every single damn day as a gardener, _oui_ , because that’s the only thing what I can do. Is not much but is still a job, a _decent_ job. There was a day that there wasn’t food on the table, hmm? Food that I always bring from my hardwork. There was a time I stopped bringing you what you need?. Sometimes I work double shift, hell, sometimes I’m not even here for two days, remember!!!?. And on those days is where I suffer the most because I can’t be with you when I want to. Do you think that’s fair? Do you think _I_ make no sacrifcies!? All my life which I told you and your sister how important is to work hard to get what you want and you dare to say I do _not_ put any effort on what I do!!!!?” he almost hit the ceiling with his fist and a tiny tear scaped from his eye.

  
Colette with her eyes open wide took her father’s statement like a bullet that hit her in her chest, it hurted her her yes, but it hurted ‘cause… it was the truth. Then she slowly pursed her eyes tighty and started to cry. She covered her face with her hands, sobbing like she never has before. Pierre wipped his own eyes and sighed; he rested his left hand on Colettes back caressing her, waiting her sobs to fade.

  
Then Colette rised her head and glanced at her dad, “I’m sorry…. I’m very upset… I’m-I’m so sorry… _excuse moi papa_ …” she sniffed and gulped.

“Come here _fille_ ” Pierre opened his arms and his child went to him and hugged him as tight as she could, resting her cheek on his chest, hearing his heartbits. Pierre closed his eyes, rocking his daughter to calm her. “Is ok _ma cherie, shhh,_ let it out, _papa’s_ here”.

  
Colette wept a little more but then spoke again, “I’m really sorry father, I didn’t mean it” she grabbed her dad’s white shirt fiercely.

  
“I know you didn’t mean it _ma douce_ , it hurted a bit what you said, I admit it, but I’ll respect it because is what you feel, and I am sorry for yelling at you.” the Marchant man passed his fingers through the young aerialist’s hair, “Why you never told me that you felt like this?”

  
“Because I didn’t want to upset you and mom. I _do_ know how hard you work everyday…. and… I miss you when you’re not here” she gave her final sob, “still, you want to see me happy, so I…heven’t said a thing…”.

  
With that, the two Marchants stayed there, embracing eachother watching the view from the rooftop for minutes. _It has the fields always looked so beautiful?_ thought Pierre. Now he understood more why Colette chose that precise spot to be alone, it was so peaceful and quiet, not mentioning the sight of the green of the fields, the blue of the sky and the white of the clouds. It seemed that the whole world stopped for a second when they finally found silence, staring at this magnificent view which God gave them. Their own little spot in France.

  
Carefully, Pierre moved away to see Colette’s face clearly, he grabbed her right shoulder and stared deeply into her eyes, “Listen to me _ma douce,_ I understand your pain but you have to remember this: there are people who are in worst situations than us, some of them don’t even have a roof like ours to put on their heads, so many don’t have food or a house and live in the streets, we see them once in a while around the sidewalk asking for money. We have to pray everyday for how fortunate we are, be greatful for the things we do have, even if they’re simple and little”.

  
“I know, father,” Colette sighed wiping the remaning tears with her palm, “but why it has to be so hard for us to get what we want? What I want is simple, I want to become a great trapeze star, I train in the circus school, you saw me and I’m very good at it.” Then Colette thought of something else which made her a bit mad, “But maybe they say I can’t, since…I’m a woman” her tone contained disappointment.

  
“I don’t think so” Pierre said with security “Sometimes there are exceptions, lots of _femmes_ here in France became famous starting from nothing. Even so, yes, they’d been subestimated for being women for years”.

  
“But, why!?” Colette said with indignation.

  
“Because…” Monsieur Marchant tried to find the most simple but honest explination, “…is just is. _Désolé_ Colette, I’m truly sorry, I wish that there’s some _justice_ for the whole femenine universe. Still I’ll never let anything happen to you, Marie and your mother, I’ll defend you with my life if it’s necessary” he puffed up his chest which made Colette giggle. That made Pierre sigh in relief. “If it deppended on me Colette, I would give you three a palace, since that’s where queens live and give you anything your heart desires”. Pierre said desperately cupping his daughter’s face.

  
The aerialist took her father’s hands and looked to the horizon once again, “Well…I don’t think the queen of France has _this_ view” her head spunned around to see her dad giving him a joyful grin.

  
Pierre’s smile was even bigger and quikly kissed Colette’s forhead. Both Marchants laughed hugging one another. “Can you ever forgive me, _papa_? For everything I said?” Colette asked.

  
“There’s nothing to forgive _ma_ _fille_ , _ton coeur est grand, dans un petit corps._ Just remember that you can always talk with me and your _maman_ ” he smiled “and promise me that you’ll never forget what I told you, _trés bien?”._

  
 _“Trés bien”_ she sighed, with a small but sweet smile.

“How are you now? Still sad?” Pierre asked.

“ _Oui_ ,” Colette responded, “but no as much as before”.

“That’s good”. Suddenly Pierre stood up, made a reverence and offered his hand to Colette “Now, may I escort your majesty to the ground?” he winked an eye at her.

Colette exhaled a laugh and said “Not now, I’ll stay here a little bit more, and then I’ll go play with Philippe in the woods”.

“As my _reine_ wants it” with that Pierre bowed and headed to the ladder to get down.

  
When Colette was finally alone, she let out a giggle because of her father’s childish personality. He cared for her dearly, sometimes she forgets it but not anymore, this memory will linger forever in her mind; her father’s teachings are the ones which hit her the most and her mother’s as well. She continued looking at the bright green fields from afar thinking on how her future would be, making the right chioces is not an easy challenge, however she loved challenges. From that day on, Colette promised herself to fight for her dreams and no one, absolutely _no one_ will take them from her.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Second chapter finally! Hope you liked it and of course any type of feedback is very welcomed;)


	3. Chapter 3

_**Back to the present...** _

"Wow, hahaha!" Holt laughed with amazed eyes, sitting on the ground hugging one of his knees after listening the begginig of Colette's story, "Even as a kid you were reckless princess, it must have been a nightmare for your parents keepin' an eye at ya."

" _Oui_ ," Colette sighed grinning at the floor, "I've never liked to follow the rules. I belived that the world was mine, that I could do anything I wanted."

"Well..." the rider inhaled deeply, "...that's what you're kind of doing right _now_ , so it ain't hard to believe it." he made a gesture with his only hand.

"Shut up Holt." Colette huffed at the silly cowboy's statement. 

Holt settled his robotic arm, loosening it so he could be more comfortable, while he was doing that he spoke, "Sorry _my_ _queen,_ but is the truth, I hate lying. Fortunately, your pops was there to calm you."

The french aerialist gulped at the mention of her father, that made her turn her head left where the open wooden box was; the London postcard which Pierre gave her was right in the middle. She gingerly took the rectangular piece of cartboard with the Big Ben showing immediately. The memory of her dad makes her think of the good moments they both shared, he was her best role model, her friend and the two had the same spirit. Pierre Marchant was the best of men.

_If I only knew it earlier..._ Colette solemnly said to herself in her brain, her eyes fixed on the postcard.

Holt, after moving his robo-arm he glanced at the lady who, for some reason, stoped talking. He rose an eyebrow in concern and reached for her knee touching it to make her react. "Everything's ok princess?"

The cowboy's sudden touch caused Colette to lift her head fast to look directly at her friend, "Uhhhm _oui_ , yes! It's just I was recalling the good times with my father, that's all. This..." she handed the object to Holt, "was a postcard he sent us when he went for three days to England. I remember that I begged him to please, please to take me with him. But _non,_ he told me he could only afford his own passport, I got mad at him for _days."_ Colette smiled at the memory and how the cowboy was admiring the belonging. 

Holt turned around the old postcard then he stared to Colette, "But as you said before, he always gave you and your sister what you _needed_ , which was his love." he returned the belonging to her. "For what you have told me, he was a pretty wise man."

Colette put back the London card back to the box upside down, " _Oui,_ he **_was_**..." her tone felt dry.

The Stallion Star's bushy eyebrows arched in concern, he cocked his head "Colette, what's wrong? Tell me."

Colette bit her lip, not wanting to make eye contact, she hasn't felt like this since she was a teenager. Talking about this subject isn't easy for her.

"I don't want to talk about it _cavallier_." she kept her eyes away from his.

"Woman--"

"Do not _"woman"_ on me Holt! _Incroyable!"_ she yelled in impotence.

"Alright sorry, don't be like that!" Holt said in deffence a bit startled rising his hand in surrender, "I just wanted to know..."

Colette had her mouth open, realizing what she just said and the way she said it to her friend, she covered her lips with the tip totally embarassed. Her big blue eyes showed remourse.

_"Desolé, desolé mon amie._ Forgive me, I didn't mean to scream at you like that" she responded in regret.

Holt sighed scratching his nape, "I don't blame you, I also get like that when there's something I don't want to talk about. Ya know, _personal_ things."

"But still it wasn't fair screaming at you in the way I did. The thing is... talking about my father now is very difficult because..." Colette paused.

The cowboy waited, with his sight totally fixed on her face.

".... he _died_ when I was very young." the woman said moving a lock of her black short hair behind her ear. Her voice sounded grim, "I was like three or four years older than your daughter".

Holt sealed his lips and gave his friend an empathic expression although, she wasn't looking at him. It was obvious she was avoinding him so she didn't need to show her true feelings, 'cause she knew that Holt could read her like an open book. The man thought and started to open some buttons of his red shirt, he found the belt that attached his robotic arm to his body, he untied it and slowly without making too much noise he detached the metallic limb from him. He stood up and put the fake arm on a table, then he walked towards Colette and sat on the bed on her right. Holt always thought he wasn't the best when it comes to comfort others but he liked trying, let alone and being there for somone who is hurt in the outside or in the inside. The cowboy was never good with words, expressing himself verbally was an absolute challenge for him and sometimes, accidentally, he would say a tiny stupidity. His late wife Annie was the right person for those matters, she always knew _exactly_ what to say when a person needed to feel safe, secured and loved. Holt wanted Colette to make feel all those things now that she was there, with her sad face thinking of her father with genuine affection, she missed him, just like Holt, still, missed Annie.

Colette slightly turned her head once she felt the rider sitting on the bed as well, she barely glanced over his face which was showing all the empathy in the world but took a deep breath and looked down again, not wanting to weep. All of the sudden, the aerialist felt a hand on top of hers squeezing it gently, then, she heard his voice.

"I'm sorry." Holt whispered caressing the back of her hand with his thumb.

The french trapeze artist's heart bumped inside her chest for both excitement and tenderness, because of that, she let out a quiet and nervous giggle despite of herself. She gave up and looked at the man's brown eyes, laying her left hand on his.

"Don't be _cherie_..." she exclaimed sighing and patting his only hand, "You know what? I think, if you two have met, he would've liked you very much." she winked at him.

The cowboy smiled at her statement, "Really?"

_"Oui_ , in fact, you have a lot of his personallity." Colette lift her chin up with a grin.

"Well, from the way you talk about him, he seemed like a great man." Holt commented, "I mean, I don't know how he was completely yet, but ya know, is kind of flatterin' you compare him with me."

"You two would have get along with eachother pretty well, _cavallier_." Colette confessed with glee.

Holt smirked, "The father-in-law that I would've had..." he muttered almost silently with pity, looking down his entwined hand with hers.

_"What!?"_ Colette exclaimed in shock for what the cowboy just said. With big open eyes like plates she stayed staring at him, until he lifted up his head to look at her.

Holt's blush was so intense that his cheeks were burning him. _Did I really just said that!!?_ he thought wanting to kick himself on the back of his head so he could forget his so-so declaration, _**Why** did I said that!? C'mon you idiot, think of something else, she's staring at you!?_

"I-I-I... I mean," Holt nervously caughed, "the father-in-law that _anyone_ would've had... I mean- no, no..." he felt his tongue tangle itself inside his mouth, "The father, just _father_ that anyone would've wanted." Suddenly, both let go their hand from eachother and Holt started to adjust his collar, it felt so uncomfortably tight. "Wow! Summer really _is_ here 'cause it's kind of hot in here, don't ya think Colette! Hehe!". He felt how his sweat fell on his forehead.

Colette was more confused than ever, she _clearly_ heard what he said, she did not understand why Holt needed to explain himself. That's some of the things from him, that sometimes, annoyed her. She showed her palm in front of him as a sign to ask him to please stop. "Forget it _cavallier,_ you do not need to explain to me anything, let's change the topic, _s'il vous plait?"_

The cowboy's head turned quickly to face the aerialist with frantic eyes and dry mouth. _Oh thank God!_ Holt's mind exhaled in relief, "Yeah, yeah good idea, let's talk about another thing...like...your sister, yeah, you've never mentioned you had a sister either. Why?" he asked while was drying his sweat and regaining his composture.

Colette sighed, she slowly leaned her back on her bed, watching from below her show partner then to the fabric ceiling, "It is true, I don't talk about her, because it has been _so_ long since we _talked_ to eachother. Even _before_ I left Paris". When Colette said that her voice went a little angry but not too much. Her pupils were fixed like bullets on the top of the tent.

The Kentucky rider sensed tension on her comment, so he asked: "Why?"

She moved her head to her rigth to see him, her expression was still the same but suddenly rested her hands behind her head and answered, "That, _mon cherie,_ has to wait. I told you that my story will be long and the thing with my sister is almost at the end of it. I definitely won't spoil it for you." she gave him a sideway smile and a wink.

"Ok." Holt said rolling his eyes, staring at her from above.

"So," Colette put her index finger on her lips, frowning her thin eyebrows in thinking. "where did we left? Mhhhmm? Oh! Now I remember!" the trapeze aerialist beamed. "I finished talking to _papa_ and then I headed to the woods to meet with Philippe". she finished the last part with a smile.

At the mention of Philippe's name Holt's shoulders fell, he felt like the world was mocking him for a second, specially on how the woman brought the guy's excistance. The smile he had seconds ago slowly vanished and let go a tired sigh.

"Oh..." Holt scowled, he moved his sight at other direction, trying to hide this supposed jealousy, although for him, feeling that was ridiculous. "Philippe, I almost forgot 'bout him, thanks for bringing him up... _again_." unexpected sarcasm came from his tone ."The _famous_ Philippe, you dearest friend and... first love. Am I right?".

_"Exactement"_ Colette responed with pride, she flexed her legs and crossed them, one foot lying on the bed while the other was hanging in the air. Her act costume was short from below, so the skin of her elegant long legs was completely exposed.

When Holt was turning his head to face her again his eyes caught her flexed legs, he carefully tracked the limbs from the toes to her thighs, the temptation of fantazise on how would felt to touch those legs, those knees, her ankles and her thighs was killing him. _Hell! This woman will be my the reason of my madness,_ he thought, _She's doing this on purpouse!_ The cowboy spoke up again before his erotic imagination took control over him, althogh it was harsh for him to take his eyes from her legs to make eye contact once again.

"Well," Holt coughed, "since...when you and him were a couple".

"Mhhmm I think since we were both 15, it was very hard for him to express his love for me, he became so nervous in any opportunity he had!" Colette giggled at the sweet memory of her childhood sweetheart, "However, he matured quite a bit when he turned 14, he gained confidence."

Holt blinked, "And since you two met for the first time again?" he asked curious.

"When we were 4. Why?" the french aerialist was puzzled by her friend's question.

The rider started to laugh "So it took him 10 years to finally confess his love." he stated smiling at the fabric ceiling, " _Wow_." he exhaled proud.

Colette rose up from her last position and sat again, she rose up an eyebrow in annoyence, "What is that suppose to mean, Holt? You can't declare something as deep as complex as love when you are a _4 years_ old, a _garçon!"_

"Yeah, but as you said before woman, he had his chances in other times." Holt rose his shoulders and one of his bushy eyebrows; his sideway grin looked like he just won a competition.

Colette rolled her eyes, "Holt please, Philippe was shy, he still is I guess. Also, he practized trapeze with me."

"Was he good?"

" _Oui_... but it wasn't really his thing, he said he mostly enrolled on trapeze so he can spend time with me and... to impress me."

"He was moving _slowly_ to finally get ya." Holt teased pursing his bottom lip and nodding. "Did you felt _impressed_ by him? I mean, on the trapeze".

The french lady pondered, then smirked at the man from Kentucky, "And what if I felt impressed by him, _cherie?_ There is something wrong with that?"

Holt motorboated his lips like a horse, "No, nothing wrong, just wanted to...know."

"Then _oui,_ I _was_ impressed." Colette responded without hesitation.

Holt's smile faded once more and his heart received a twinge defeat.

"But...I have to be honest, he was better doing carpentry than gymnastics. Because he was a little clumsy. He fell more times than you think."

Holt's good mood returned as fast as lightning thanks to Colette's so sudden revelation, he couldn't resist to giggle and comment: "On his face? Like he did when he was chasing you on the wagon?".

Colette gave him a secure smile, "Not just his face".

The rider covered his mouth due to his gleeful laughter.

Colette laughed too but just a tiny bit, it was her friend who were talking about and she felt guilty mocking him, even if he wasn't there with them. So Colette slapped gently at Holt's shoulder to stop his fun.

_"Tres bién, amie._ I get it, is funny, but he was my friend too, my first lover. He meant a lot for me."

"Ok sorry, but you were laughin' too." Holt deffend himself pointing at Colette with his forfinger.

"Just a _little_." Colette protested in denial crossing her arms.

"Yes you were woman... " Holt sarcastically responded.

"Maybe I laughed, is true," the woman admitted, "but anyway; Philippe was always there for me: in the good and the bad times. He was an _ange_ with me."

The cowboy bit his lip and his pupils went dumbfounded, "An _ange?"_

The Queen of Heavens smacked her own lips and created an unamused look, "An angel, _idiot"._

"Ah."

_" 'Ah' "_ Colette mockingly imitated him, "Seriously, how could you went to the war, in France, and not knowing a smidge of french? Is kind of insulting." she protested like a girl, resting her hand on her hips.

"I've told ya, woman. I didn't _need_ to learn, we already had translators and french allies at the battlefield." Holt passed his hand on his hair.

"You didn't need to learn? Or maybe you didn't _want_ to learn" Colette teased, "After all, french is a very difficult for you, _ma cherie._ Look at me, I have mastered english in no time. And look at you, you don't even know what _'ange'_ means, a very simple word!"

"Ok, ok, woman. We are here to talk about you or me?" Holt interjected her.

" _Desolé_ Holt." Colette apologized, "Maybe I exagerated." she said making a gesture with her hand.

Holt sighed resting his head on his hand looking at her, _"Maybe?_ Huh?".

Colette decided to grab her necklace again and showing it better to the cowboy, "Let's go back to where we left, _oui?"_

Holt nodded. Colette handed her necklace to him, hangling the golden chain from her fingers while he touched the silver madallion of it. "This is real silver, mhhm, it has a cross engraved on it too. " Holt said passing his thumb on the relief in cross shape.

"He gave it to me after _papa_ died."

"I see." Holt responded looking at her again, "And tell me, what happened to you both?"

"What do you mean?" Colette placed the medallion asaide.

"How did you guys... you know... split up? You're not together anymore now so..." the rider questioned.

"He..." Colette tried to be as sincere as posibble, even though, the truth was hard for her pride to swallow, "we decided to end our relationship once he got a new job opportunity in Lyon. He worked on a small carpentry shop with his family since was a kid but he was also very good with numbers, so he went to work on a good bank in Lyon once they have called him from there. Just like that."

"Ah," the cowboy understood, "so, he dumped you."

Colette was completely tacken abck by Holt's commentary, she opened her mouth and continued, "He did not dumped me!"

"You said _he_ was the one who left to go somewhere else," Holt pointed her with his hand, "which means, he did in fact , dumped you."

Colette inhaled a huge amount of air through her nose and straghtened herself, "No one, hear me _cavallier_ , _no one,_ dumps Colette Marchant!"

"Neither you believe it, princess." Holt mocked her.

"It is the truth Holt! He did not broke up with me, it was a decision we _both_ took. It was something mutual."

The Farrier rider rose an eyebrow and exhaled a laugh, "Ok, ok I let you believe what you want, if you _think_ that's _what_ happened, then it happened."

"Because it _did_ happened like that, _cherie."_ Colette crossed her arms and closed her eyes.

"Right." a hint of irony was heard on his voice, thing the aerialist chose to ignore.

Colette spoke up again, "It was hard for us at some point to say goodbye to eachother, I loved him and he loved me, very much."

The man formed a puzzled face at what Colette just said, "He _loved_ you? I doubt it." he muttered.

_"Excuse moi?"_

"I mean, if that fella loved you, like _truly_ loved you, he would've taken you to Lyon with him. Heck, for what I remember, you just told me you haven't received any letters from him in years. Am I wrong?" Holt admitted with his hand on his chest, "Apparently, he wasn't too much of an 'angel' after all".

Colette huffed indignantly, standing up from her bed and exclaiming, _"Mon dieu,_ Holt!". She headed to a table were there was a metal jug with water and poured herself a glass, the liquid splattered a bit due to the lady's temper. Talking too much left her thirsty, specially with the summer heat that there was. She angrily took a few sips and confronted the stupid _cavallier_. "He did loved me. It wasn't his foult he was offered a new job far away from home and... I _couldn't_ go with him." Colette took three more sips of water, "I had other plans back then, my plans were going to Paris, since in the _capitale_ , you can became even more famous. That was what I thought when I was young." She picked up the jug and poured herself more liquid, then exhaled a breath. "We both knew it was useless to have a long distance relationship."

Holt gently nodded at her, after hearing her explination he asked her something, "Can I have a glass of water too?"

Colette's eyes seemed like poison darts staring at him, _"Non."_ She answered him like an angry mother to her child.

Holt shrugged his shoulders and let out air sternly through his nostrils, "Fine, I'll get it myself."

The french aerialist moved aside, ignoring the cowboy who stood up to get water for himself. But once Holt was by her side, he surprisingly spuned her around by grabbing her by the waist, they were face to face and their noses were inches away from the other. Colette almost dropped her glass, she was startled.

"Let's stop fightin', alright?" he begged arching his bushy eyebrows. "I'm sorry Colette.... I didn't mean to hurt you." Holt softly apologized, "It's just... I can't believe that somone who says he loves you dearly, leaves you." He gently slid his hand away from her waist, feeling how she shivered from his touch. "How can somone abandon a woman as great as you?".

Just like a naive teenager Colette's cheeks blushed crimson; she looked the same as on the night of Dumbo's last show at the Colloseum, with red make up on her face and everything. But now the 'make up' is just her; her heart beated like it was in a marathon and her knees quivered. Colette kept staring at those intense brown eyes of his, it was practically impossible for her to look away but her brain gave her a little help to finally snap out that intoxicating tension. She wasn't to forgive him that easily and succumb to his cowboy charms , so she decided to remember what he said about Philippe seconds ago.

"Do not judge..." Colette tried her best to catch her breath and not look at Holt's lips 'cause it was very tempting to do so and imagine what to _do_ with them, "do _not_ judge Philippe if you don't know him Holt. We drift appart due to _geaograohical issues_ and job matters." she took two steps away from the rider and layed her glass on the table.

Holt placed his only hand on his hip, "Alright, forgive me please. C'mon, let's hear the rest of your story". he pointed the bed with his finger invinting her to sit.

"Mhhhmm, _non"._

"What?" Holt asked confused.

" _Non._ Now I don't know if I want to continue." Colette exclaimed crossing her arms scowling, staring at the tent entrance.

Holt let out a laugh, "Princess, c'mon---"

"Don't call me a _princess, idiot"_

"Woman, please, I said I'm sorry. What else do you want?"

"That you don't insult Philippe everytime I mention him, you have no right." Colette demanded firmly pointing him with her index finger. "We may not be together anymore, but he was very important to _moi_ anyways."

The Stallion Star thought she was exagerating again, but she was right, he didn't knew this Philippe guy and he didn't know if he ever will meet him in the future. However, if he was so important to Colette, he had to respect that and him for it. Although, an unwelcomed jealuosy was invading his muscles by just thinking that this beautiful and smart lady was still caring for a man who left her. He didn't knew him to judge him but Holt was taught all his life that when somone truly loves another person, gives up everything to stay with that person, let alone and not giving a damn about the consequences. He looked at the french woman at the eyes and decided to swallow his pride and accept her conditions, as hard as they may seemed to take.

"You're right, it was unfair from my part. I won't insult your childhood sweetheart again." Holt stated regretful.

"Promise me, promise me you won't judge him or mock him, _tres bién?"_

"I promise." the rider rested his palm on his heart. "Now, please, continue your tale. Please, it was gettin' interestin'" he winked at her.

Colette grinned despite of herself at his pleading and winking. She clasped her hands and exhaled, "Good, let's move on." she approached her bed and sat on it. Holt quickly joined her, paying her all his attention.

_"Tres bién,_ we were.... ah! After I spoke with my father I went to the woods to meet with Philippe---" Colette happilly started telling her story until Holt interrupted her.

"Yeah, you two on the woods, _alone_ , probably kissing." Holt rose an eyebrow.

The Queen of Heavens sealed her mouth and gave him another unamused glare, _"You promised."_ she said sternly.

"It was a joke." the cowboy admitted giggling at her.

Colette rolled her eyes, _"Mon dieu_ you are such a child. Will you please shut up now and let _me_ talk!?"

Holt united his index finger with his thumb and passed them through his closed lips, like he was a closing a fly on his mouth as a sign that he'll be silent for good. His eyes showed a bit of terror of what the aerialist could do to him if he didn't do it.

Colette nodded understanding his silence sign and pleased with his look of fright, "You _better_ be."

With that, Miss Marchant moved on with the story of her life, sharing more things from her youth and the desicions she made that, somehow, transformed into what she is today.


	4. Chapter 4

**Órleans’s forest...**

“He called you a _what?!”_ Philippe said shocked at his friend, looking at her from below a tree.

“A rat, Philippe.” Colette was hanging on a tree branch, sighing in disgust at the unpleasant memory of the situation she lived that morning, “That was it.”

“That was it? But what happened then after that? What did you do about it?” the curly black haired boy asked.

Colette let her legs hung while her hands gripped firmly on the branch she was sitting in, “What do you mean with ‘What did I do about it?’. Nothing, I couldn’t do nothing, I froze. I couldn’t defend myself or my sister.” The nine-year-old girl huffed to herself.

“And how is Marie? _Elle va bien?”_ Philippe’s voice sounded sad for his friend’s pain and her sister’s.

Colette’s frown started to show a little bit more, “She is... _fine_ , for now. But, when that awful man said those things to us she was in tears. I do not like when my _sœur_ is sad.”

The boy stared deeply at Colette’s face and heard her defeated voice. Philippe felt as impotent as his best friend. He picked up a thin tiny branch from the grass and pointed it out to his right. His eyes were absolutely fixed on an invisible target.

“I swear to God, if I ever cross paths with that _misérable_ , with that scoundrel, I will challenge him into a duel and kill him with my sword!. Or a gun if I can afford one.” Philippe tried his best to show heroism to Colette, making her sure that he’ll do anything for her.

The little aerialist felt flattered by her friend and even a tiny blush on her cheeks appeared. But she decided to release a giggle too because of how naive Philippe was with his statement.

“Oh Philippe.” the girl exhaled “It is not worth it, _amie_ ”.

“And let that scoundrel call you rat? I will kill him one day I swear”.

“ _Oui_ , and then you will end up in jail for murder. I have already told you, Philippe. It is not worth to get your hands dirty because of that man.”

“But I want to defend your honor, Coco!” The boy stated with head held high.

“I do not need anyone to defend my honor. I can defend myself.” Colette crossed her arms, looking down to her friend.

Philippe smiled and rested his hands on his hips, “But _this_ time?”

The little aerialist bit her lip, “That time...I was not _prepeared_. But I do not want to talk about that anymore. Let’s forget it, _tres bién?”_

_“Tres bién.”_ Philippe agreed, throwing away the little branch he had on his hand.

Suddenly, Colette hugged tight the large branch were she was sitting at, extended her arms on the sides and let herself fall backwards. Her legs gripping the bough while the rest of her body was swinging upside down like a bat. The so sudden act made Philippe startle.

“Coco! Be careful. You can fall, _stupide_.” the young man took off his red cap, walked towards his friend and encircled her to see her face to face.

Colette could only chukle, “Since when does Colette Marchant fall? You say it because _you_ always fall down in the circus school.” the young girl mocked him with her head upside-down.

“Well, _oui_.” Philippe admitted. “Speaking of that matter, I decided to leave that school.”

Colette’s eyes opened wide at her friend’s news, “Really? _Parce que?”_

_“_ Because I discovered it is not my thing. And also my _papa_ said it’s a waste of time.” the young boy responded a bit sad.

“Do not be sad, _mon_ _amie_. We know how your father can be, also trapeze was never your thing. I have always knew.” Colette lifted her arms to grip the bough, she started to feel the pressure of the gravity on her chump. “I _know_ exactly why you attended to those classes.”

Philippe stared at her nervous, “You...you do _know?”_

“ _Oui_ , you go so you can see me, being by my side.”

Philippe’s cheeks formed a crimsom blush, “Well, _oui_.... you are my best friend and I want to spend time with you as much as I can. We don’t go to the same school and my father wants me to work on his workshop even more, and---”

“Philippe it is ok, you do not have to explain me anything. We spend time together _more_ than you think, almost everyday. We won’t stop being _amies_ because you do not like to go to somewhere that I like.” Colette affirmed with confidence.

The ten-year-old boy grinned at the girl, feeling a great relief hearing Colette saying that. He seriously thought she would hate him if he admitted he didn’t like trapeze that much. And fortunately, at least in his own mind, she didn’t knew the real reason why Philippe accompanied her at those classes. He always thought on how and when will he tell her his feelings.

Then, he quickly noticed how much effort Colette was doing to get down of the tree, her own strength wasn’t enough being upside-down. So he offered his help in a second.

“Here, let me help you Coco. You cannot do this on your own.”

“Of course I can!” Colette protested, although she was feeling already deezy and her body was on a considerable distance from the ground to get down all by herself.

Philippe rolled his eyes, “ _Oui_ , _oui_ , come on now, I will help you _têtu_.” With that, the boy slid his arms below Colette’s shoulders and entwined his hands in front of her chest. Encircling her, holding her strongly to avoid her fall to be fatal.

Despite her friend’s best efforts to hold her in the best posision possible and help her to come down, Colette knew her death weight will make her or both hit harshly on the grass ground as soon as her legs let go of the tree branch. She was upside-down after all, she couldn’t control her own gravity very well. The Marchant girl rested the back of her pulsing head on one of Philippe’s scapulas while her small hands held his forearms.

“ _Tres_ _bién_ ,” Philippe said with shaky voice due to the insecurity if he’s was holding her in the right way or not, “on the count of _trois_ you will let go the bough, ok?”

“Ok.” Colette held firmly with trust his friend.

_“Une, deux... trois!”_ Philippe yelled.

All of the sudden, the little aerialist extended her legs and quickly slid them down.

Unsurprisingly, it wasn’t the best idea, since that rapid push made the boy loose balance, provoking the two kids to fall together. The whole and fast impulse made Colette’s body to turn around and when the children finally crushed into the grass ground, Colette ended face down on Philippe’s chest.

Both kids groaned in pain, but fortunately, they ended up without wounds.

When Colette slowly lifted her head, Philippe turned his to the right and looked while laying on the grass what was on top of his chest. He and the girl’s sight went clearer when the two made eye contact with eachother. Their faces had never been so close, it felt weird for them but it made them feel somethig funny in the inside, like that sensation their parents described as _‘papillons dans le ventre’._ Theboywith black curly black blushed again by staring at those zafire eyes of hers, they were like two lakes as glistening as the lakes in spring and as blue as L’Seine river he saw in a painting on a street corner. Philippe watched his friend blush too, which made him think of something negative instead of what he hoped to think. Was she blushing because was embarassed? Or because the landing from the tree was disastrous?

The truth was, Colette’s heart was beating very fast at the position she and Philippe were. Philippe was her friend since the two were 4 years old, their friendship was so strong that sometimes it felt like a brother and sister relationship. But with the time, the girl watched how her friend was growing up, both in age and character, she loved the person Philippe was becoming, how he cared for her and showing his wishes to protect her. And those traits were mutual; somehow she also felt protective of him, not like a brother but more like a kindred spirit. Even Colette started to consider Philippe.... _handsome_ in his own way, even with dirt on his brown trousers, messy curly hair and a missing front tooth he had that innate beauty which she couldn’t explain quite well.

Whilst Colette was subtly contemplating the boy, Philippe caughed breaking the calmed silence. “Uhmmm, _desolé_ Colette, I should have been more careful.” the young man apologized, still his cheeks were warm of his recent blush.

The girl quickly got up of the ground with open eyes and sealed lips. She brushed off the grass of her onesie and spoke up: _“Ne t’en fais pas, mon amie_...” Colette responded trying to ignore that weird atmosphere she was sensing between her and her _camarade_. “ _I_ should have been more careful and patient, sometimes I do not know, I forgot my limits.”

“I thought _you_ had _non_ limits, Colette.” Philippe said getting himself up, brushing the grass and dirt of his blue shirt as well and grabbing his old red cap.

“I _do_ have them, Philippe. After all, I’m not perfect.” Colette crossed her arms, looking down.

“Do not say that Coco, you just have to practice with better stuff than tree branches.” Philippe assured her.

“How? These are the only things were I can practice on when I am outside.” Colette admitted.

All of the sudden Philippe placed his cap on his head and extended his hand out to her. “Come with _moi_.”

_“Quoi?”  
_

“I want to show you something _incroyable_. Take my hand.” Philippe smiled excited.

“ _Tres_... _bién_.” Colette responded unsure yet curious.

The girl’s left hand entwined with his right hand and the boy started to walk straight forward, guiding her into the woods.

“Oh _oui!_ You have to close your eyes as well.” Philippe ordered, turning his head back at her.

“Why?” Colette wanted to know what this was all about.

“It is a surprise, Coco.” Philippe exclaimed with a big grin.

Colette grinned too, denying with her head and obeyed her friend’s request.

Philippe waved his free hand in front of the girl’s face to make sure she wasn’t cheating. As soon as he confirmed she had her eyelids firmly closed, he continued walking to their unknown stop.

After some seconds, Philippe gently let go off Colette’s hand, sat down and slid himself on a lower level of the ground. They were standing on a moldy rock.

When Philippe landed he turned around, looking above to Colette with her eyes still closed. “ _Tres_ _bién_ Colette, now get down, bent and take both my hands. There is a unevenness here, but do not worry, I will catch you.”

“I think I should better open up my eyes, Philippe.”

“ _Non_ , do no do it. I will catch you, trust me. But please, do not lunch yourself like a bird like you did in the tree.”

Colette exhaled a annoyed breath but soon she started to bend and slid her hands on Philippe’s, holding him tight.

“Ready?” Philippe asked.

Colette nodded.

“Ok, do it, but _slowly.”_ Philippe gently comanded.

With that said, Colette started to softly slip her feet on the rock, her hands heading to Philippe’s shoulders, her grip was strong.

And in the spur of a second, Colette made a tiny jump and safetly landed on the ground. None of them fell or nothing like that.

_“Brava.”_ the boy congratulate his best friend.

“Do not mock me, Philippe.” the aerialist exclaimed with her eyes still closed.

“Come, we are getting closer.” the young carpenter held again Colette’s hand and both kids kept walking through out the hedges and trees of the forest.

Philippe’s pace become slower after some seconds more, as a sign they were a just meters of whatever Philippe wanted to show his aerialist pal. He still warned Colette to watch her step due to the amount of boulders that there were around them. As soon as Philippe stoped, Colette did the same, wanting to see that misterious surprise. The only thing she could feel on her eyelids was the light of the afternoon sun and she was getting impatient.

“Can I open my eyes now?” Colette asked.

“Very well...open them.” Philippe responded with joy.

The girl’s eyelids rised, feeling the sunlight invading her pupils. When Colette get used to the light her sight caught something that she couldn’t quite believe; the children were in front of another big tree but two things were hanging down of two of the brunches. On one bough there was a wooden hoop, attached with a rope, the hoop wasn’t 100% circular since it was handmade but it looked sanded enough to grab. And on the other branch which was on the right, across of the first one, there was a wooden swing also attached with ropes.

_“Voilá!”_ Philippe exclaimed with a huge smile on his face, extending his hands to point the surprise. “Do you like it?”

Colette’s own smile became as big as her friend’s and started to squee with joy, “Oh, Philippe! I love it! _Sont_ _précieux!_ How? When? Did you do them by yourself?!”

“Of course, _mon_ _amie_.” Philippe headed to the hoop he made for her, “Here, an proffesional aerialist hoop just for _tu,_ so you can train more comfortable. No more tree branches,” he said with pride, then he walked towards the swing. “And a swing for _moi_ , easy to use, closer to the ground and safer, hehehe.” Philippe laughed.

Colette, soon, also joined him laughing, she didn’t want to wait again so she rushed to the wooden hoop, held it tightly and leaned backwards to proove how much of her weight can resist. It resisted perfectly.

_“C’est magnifique, Philippe,”_ Colette directly adressed her friend passing half of her body through the hoop with happines and a tender smile, _“merci beaucoup.”_

“Your welcome _mademoiselle_ ,” Philippe responded with a exagerated posh accent, he took off his cap, placed on his chest and gave a short bow looking down, “anything for you.” he lifted his head again, giving her a playful smile and wink. “After all, you are very dear to me.”

“ _Mon_ _dieu_ , Philippe. You always know how to make a lady blush.” Colette confessed flushing rouge on her cheeks. “Do not lie to _moi_ with those things amie, I warn you.”

“I don’t lie, Coco. I am being honest to the core with you, as always. You are... the _most_ important person in my entire life.” The boy admitted while playng with his red hat.

“Philippe...”

“I have... two older brothers Colette, they bully me all the time and they have never stood up for me. Then... I met you and _you_ did, you have stood up for me when no one else dared. You have never stoped defending me and I want to do the same for you when you most need _moi_ , this is my promise to you”.

Colette felt her heart beating again with all the compassion of the world, sometemes she though she didn’t deserved him as a friend but there he was, telling all those deep things to her with the biggest sincerity that can exist.

“You caught me, now I do not have idea what else to say.” Colette said, still overwhelmed.

Philippe placed his cap on his head, “Say the first thing that pops into your mind, Coco.”

The aerialist placed her forrefinger on her lips as a sign of thinking. Then she gave the boy a teasing look as answered: “That, from now on, I decided to call you Geppetto.”

Philippe’s face became super confused and frustated, “Do not call me ‘ _Geppetto_ ’, Colette! You know carpenters, including myself, are tired to be called that. It is a _cliche_.”

“ _Quoi?_ Would you rather to be called Pinocchio instead? Your nose is becoming bigger everytime I see you, do not dare to _lie_ with that. jajaja!” the young lady giggled out loud.

“Now Geppetto sounds a bit better.... I guess.” Philippe admitted in defeat.

The laughter that came from Colette was like sweet music for Philippe’s ears, he adored making her happy, it was the least he could do to erase that awful situation she had been through with her sister in the boutique. He contemplated her while he sat on the swing he created, he gripped the two ropes that held the plank made of wood and with impulse of his feet he started to swing himself back and forth.

Colette did the same with her handmade ring, hanging on her right arm and leg like a monkey. She rocked herself for a couple of moments, and suddenly, not leaving her big grin, she get down from the hoop and ran towards her best friend. She encircled him until Colette was behind him. The girl grabbed with her both hands the swing ropes, climbed on the plank placing her feet on each of Philippe´s sides. This act made the children to look at eachother’s eyes, Philippe from below, sitting and looking up. And Colette, standing upright on the seat, glancing down at her friend’s brown eyes.

Philippe stop rocking the swing but Colette slid down one foot behind them to place it on the ground, and then with that foot she pushed themselves, swinging together back and forth.

Philippe was so oblivious and lost on the little lady’s glance. They continued to swing and the boy returned to her a smile as grand as hers, the whole atmosphere felt slow put pleasant. The young carpenter and the young aerialist sensed that tiny spot on the forest, on that swing was theirs and no one else’s, imagining in that little area all the things that they could be, all the things that they can reach, but together. Having a spot for fantasy made them feel good, scaping from their own reality.

Philippe sensed how the wind on Colette’s straight long black hair provoked her to look even more magical, even more unreal, even more.... beautiful. Everything seemed possible in that moment.

_“Philippe!!!”_ a voice yelled from affar.

The scream made Philippe to espontaneously bump his feet on the ground. That made him to let go of the swing and throw himself on the ground, hitting first, as usual, his face.

“Philippe, tu es oú?! Don’t make me come after you, it is getting late and I need you on the workshop young man!!” said the angry voice from affar.

“Philippe, are you alright!?” Colette jump off of the swing and approached her friend.

The boy stood up quicky and brushed the dirt off of his face, “Oh no...it is my father. I have to go, he is gonna kill me.” Philippe said nervous.

“Philippe wait.” Colette exclaimed before he could leave.

Philippe turned around to see her, “What is it?”

Colette got closer to him and whispered, “ _Merci_ , for...for everything.” And then, the girl stood in her tip toes and gave the young carpenter a sweet kiss on his right cheek.

A bright crimsom color Iinvaded the boy’s face, nose and forhead; but instead of staying in silence he spoke out, “Y-y-y-you....a-are a... a _stupide_ g-girl, do not do embarassing th-things!” he said taking two steps back from the aerialist, almost like he was scared of her.

Rather than feeling surprised by her friend’s reaction, she kept her proud smile, placed her hands behing her back and talked one more time. “Why not? You look _adorable_ when you are blushing. _Adieu!”_

With that said, Colette turned, her hands still on her back and walked away humming a song. She was walking away in her tip toes and hopping at the same time, like a ballerina.

Philippe sighed, feeling like an idiot because he couldn’t make the blush disappear. All of the sudden, he reached for his cheek with his palm, feeling the tender peck on his skin. Sure that Colette wasn’t near anymore, that he was completely alone, Philippe gave a high jump and cheered screaming: _“Oui, oui, oui!!!._ She kissed me! And she liked my gift!!! This day cannot get any better--”

“We will see about that.” Philippe’s father appeared out of nowhere and gripped the boy’s ear and forced him to walk back to their home.

_“Ouch! Papa! J’ai mal.”_ Philippe protested.

“It will hurt you more if you resist, _garçon”_ thecurpulent man said impatient.

_“Tres bién, tres bién!_ I am coming...” Philippe sighed, trying to walk with his father grabbing his ear.

**_\----------------------------------------------_ **

_**Back to the present...** _

The sun was starting to get down in the sky but it was still pretty hot. No one at the Medici Family Circus was aware of Colette and Holt’s absence, but because in that moment their show was over they didn’t mind. Although time _had_ passed since the cowboy entered the aerialist’s tent, apparently both didn’t notice.

The rider and the french woman were sitting on Colette’s bed, she was on the head of it and Holt at the end, one across the other.

“That was a cute story, I’ll admit it.” Holt stated leaning his chin on his fist, while his elbow rested on his knee.

“ _Oui,_ Philippe was full of things like that. He was always willing to make me happy and.... that gesture of his was evidence enough that he did not thought of me in the way like the rest of the people did.” Colette moved a strain of her short hair behind her ear.

“Think of you like _what,_ Colette?” Holt asked curious.

Colette sighed, “You know: headstrong, impatient, bossy, whimsical, and even neurotic.” she finished. Her tone saying those things wasn’t sad or disappointed, it sounded blunt.

Holt’s eyebrows rised and his mouth opened, he didn’t know what to respond correctly. Will he say what really thought of that?.

“ _Noooo_. That’s what they thought? Pfff! That’s a lie, you’re a....lady, hehe...” the cowboy exclaimed, although he couldn’t hide the irony of his voice.

Colette arched her right eyebrow having understood _perfectly_ what her show partner told her.

“Sorry princess. But you don’t have to listen to those people, you’re not entirely like that.”

“Holt, _s’il vous plait...”_ Colette wanted to speak but the rider interrupted her.

“Ok, _**you’re**_ like that, sometimes. But being headstrong, impatient or even neurotical, whatever ‘neurotical’ means, are not necessarily _bad_ descriptions of you.” Holt assured his friend. “I mean, look at _me_ , there’s still people who call me a hillbilly, brute or illiterated idiot, all because I didn’t finished highscool. However, I’ve managed to make a career as a Stallion Star, never carin’ what others may say of me. I know exactly who I really am, I’m proud of my origins and yes I do deffects but I always try to get better.”

The Queen of Heavens felt how her heart beated through her chest due to her friend’s honest confession. No wonder she had such a strong attraction for him; Holt’s honor was very admirable and precious to her, it was a good reminder for Colette that she and him are not as different as they believed.

“At least, you had your family and your friend...Philippe” Holt added.

Colette laughed, “Ma famille Holt, well my _papa_ was already used to my...” then she showed both index and middle fingers and flexed them twice as a sign of quote, “ ‘ _esporadic_ _energy_ ’ , my sister admired it, but my _maman_ was the only one who was not tolerating it. At least, not as much as my father.”

“Your mother? You both hadn’t have a good relationship?” the cowboy questioned.

“ _Non_ , our relationship was fine, but you know, sometimes she wished I was more like Marie and not being too rebel. She even told me once: ‘Colette, with that sarcastic attitude of yours _ma_ _fillie,_ you will never get a husband!’ ” the french aerialist stated copying her mother’s voice and corporal language.

“Hahaha, seriously?” Holt covered his mouth to prevent the loud giggle to come out, “And what was your answer to that?”

Colette puffed up her chest, rested her fists on her waist and lifted her chin up. Her face looked unimpressed, “ ‘That is _magnifique_ for _moi_ , _maman_. Because I do _not_ want a husband’.” the french artist replied imitating the exagerated snobby tone she used when she was little.

Holt laughed with her after sharing her memory, the picture of Colette as a little girl saying those things to her own mother was hilarious and cute. It made him remember of how headstrong _he_ was when he was a young boy, let alone and prooving the adults wrong at 10 years of age.

After that moment of giggles, Holt paused for a few seconds, looking at the woman in front of him. Then, he talked again, “Well, you didn’t get married, but you had a boyfriend, Philippe. How did he declared to you? How did he...confessed his...love for you? I guess...that is another...cute story. Even I dare to say....romantic”. Somehow, despite the hidden jealousy Holt had inside but starting to accept little by little, he still wanted to know the ditails.

The cowboy’s questions caught the woman off guard, nevertheless she decided to be frank but brief and tell him how she felt in those times, in those situations. “Well Holt, I have already told you, he declared himself when he was fourteen, at that age I guess you can be _romantique_ , but by knowing Philippe, he was more simple. And that is how that moment was, simple.”

“How so?”

“When he said that he had feelings for me, we were on a party, a birthday party of a friend in common I don’t remember. He arrived twenty minutes after me, I though he was not going to come. When suddenly, walking slowly behind me, there he was, wearing his best clothes and his curly hair combed straight back. I admit it, I have laughed a little of his new change of look, but... he looked so handsome and so nervous when he asked me to dance with him. Everything seemed that came from a _conte_ _de_ _fées_. I had also just turned fourteen at that time Holt and when you are that young you think, at least in the exact moment, that everything should last forever. It has been some months before that event that I started to have feelings for Philippe and when he confessed, through slight mumbling, that he loved me I could not contain my joy.”

The rider from Kentucky never heard Colette talking like that, it was obvious by her voice, her expressions and body language that she was very much in love with Philippe. The guy began to sound like a good man, he was an inocent and caring boy. But still, it was weird for Holt that Philippe would leave a woman like Colette alone. Hearing how she talked about the fella, it has become clear that Colette would’ve never abandon him if they gave _her_ the choice. Holt felt bad for his friend, she obviously won’t say she was feeling sad or hearbroken, she was too proud for doing it and he sometimes admired her for her strength to hold the pain. However, as soon as she noticed his thinking expression she spoke up once again.

“But...fairytales do not exist in our world, _cherie_. We have to deal with it.” Colette’s shoulders fell a few centemeters down, although she wanted her comment to be heard with irony, it was clearly evident the boy _had_ hurt her. Even if it was by accident.

“Don’t say that, princess. Please don’t say that.” Holt said with tender empathy.

“It is fine, Holt.” the french woman rested her hand on her show partner’s knee, “Do not feel bad for me, because.... that was years ago.”

Holt sighed, “Yeah but I can see in your expression that rememberin’ that guy makes you feel hapy and then sad. Ain’t that confusin’ for you?”

“ _Oui_ it does. But _mon_ _amie_ , now looking back to everything that has happened to me after Philippe left to Lyon until now, well.... life sometimes likes to give us surprises.” Colette spoke with absolute sincerity, “My way of thinking, my points of view had been tranformed, I grew up and my feelings had changed. _I_ have changed.”

The rider didn’t understood why, but a tiny ray of hope touched his heart, he couldn’t help it. Not knowing what to expect, he asked: “So that means you don’t love him anymore? Did you get over him?”

Colette lifted her head and made eye contact with Holt, her hand slid away from his knee. The french lady quickly knew that her friend wanted a direct and easy answer, but of course, being her, it won’t happen. So, she got up, sat down even closer to the Stallion Star letting their faces being just 9 inches away from the other. Holt’s eyes expanded at the woman’s physical closeness towards him, not helping but letting a light pink blush cover his cheek bones. However, that color pink turned in one second in red when he felt Colette’s forefinger on his closed lips.

“If you _really_ want to know the answer....” the Queen Of Heavens’s voice was like silk, she was talking in whisper. This was almost like a beautiful dream for the cowboy, “....you have... to wait a little bit longer, _ma_ _cherie_.” With that said, Colette rose up from the bed and headed to the entrance of her tent.

Holt was left with a bitter taste of disappointment in his tongue. _*I’ve to truly stop listenin’ to my imagination!*_ he thought. Suddenly his mind came back to reality when he saw the trapeze artist leaving.

“Hey, hey, hey! Where’re you goin’?! Come back, answer me woman.”

“ _Non_ , _non!_ You have said you wanted to hear the story. Well, you will hear it....in chronological order _amie_.” Colette replied with her usual teasing voice.

“But why? Where’re you goin’ anyway?” Holt asked her confused.

“I will bring more water and maybe some food, I have told you this will be _long_. I will be right back.” Colette winked at him and close the cloth of the entrance. Leaving Holt, again, waiting. 

Holt exhaled a long sigh and leaned abruptally on his back on his show partner’s bed. He stood laying on his back, looking at the fabric ceiling. 

All of the sudden, the cowboy felt the need to bring his fingertips slowly to his lips, he didn’t know why but he did it anyway. The cowboy’s only hand reached his chin and little by little the skin of his fingers lightly touched the flesh of his lips, right there, where Colette’s finger was. Holt closed his eyes, imagining, in a way, how intimate that gesture was, if his pride hadn’t been too big, chances are that he couldn’t had resist. He would’ve kissed her, he _wanted_ to kiss her, but he was a gentleman first and he cannot know if she wanted the same. How could’ve she reacted? Would she rejected him? Well... who knows? After all, _nothing_ happened.

Holt’s body twitched at the tought but he chose to still enjoying that soft sensation of her touch on his lips, savouring what he got instead of a kiss. He slowly smiled while his hand travelled to his heart, clutching the fabric of his shirt with his fingers while forming a fist.

“ _God,_ what will I do now?” he breathed, “What will I do with this love inside of me?”.

_**To be continued...** _

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> New chapter! Enjoy and leave comments if you want ;-)

**Author's Note:**

> This will continue very soon...


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